Annual Church Meeting: a Summary

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The Annual Church Meeting was held on Sunday 15 April 2018.   Here is a summary of the discussions and decisions which took place :
  1. Fr Mark, who was installed as St. Alban’s Priest-in-Charge on 10 December 2017, outlined his five priorities for ministry in the coming year – strengthening of the newly-formed Ministry Team, children and youth, stewardship, ecumenical activities and strengthening communications;
  2. In respect of ecumenical activities, Catherine Emezie presented a report on a meeting in Lyon (2-4 March 2018) between the Eglise Protestante Unie de France and the Church of England congregations in France. The gathering, attended by herself and Rev Christine Bloomfield, took place in view of deepening relationships between the two bodies within the framework of the Reuilly Agreement. To read the report, click here ->  Lyon Reuilly Agreement
  3. With regard to communications, it was agreed that there needs to be a better flow of information on the activities of the Chaplaincy. This includes actions and decisions taken by the Chaplaincy Council (publication of the agenda in advance and invitation to Chaplaincy members to propose topics for discussion). Reports would be published in summary form on the website and/or in Sunday morning notices. Efforts would also be made to communicate via email lists, while respecting data protection guidelines.
  4. Both the accounts for 2017 and the budget for 2018 were presented by Treasurer Rufus Folaranmi and Co-Treasurer David Cowley. The accounts had been examined and declared satisfactory by Independent Examiner Lionel Hilaire;. With the appointment of a priest-in-charge, expenditures in 2018 would be considerably higher than in recent years, as will contributions to the Diocese. A stewardship campaign would be initiated shortly to ensure that sufficient income is raised to cover recurrent expenses.
  5. The meeting took note of the reports about the activities of St. Alban’s – these reports are available through the Church office.
  6. The two church wardens, Pauline Dif and Denis Le Moullac,  were re-elected and a new Chaplaincy Council elected (see page “About us” );
  7. We concluded with a prayer for our way forward in the coming months.
Lord God, you call your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden; give us faith to go out with a good courage, not knowing whither we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; to the glory of your name. Amen.

 

 

Bishop’s Lent Appeal 2018

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Sustaining a Ministry of Hope for Refugees in the Calais area of France
Bishop Robert’s Lent Appeal aims to address the plight of unaccompanied child migrants.  ACAS, the charitable association  of St. Alban’s, encourages everyone to give generously – please contact Victoria Sérenque for more details. On Sundays a box for your contributions is at the back of the church.
For further information about the appeal see the Diocesan website:  http://europe.anglican.org/bishops-appeals/lent-appeal-videos

Services during Holy Week and at Easter

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Next Sunday is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week, which commemorates the Passion (sufferings) of Christ. It ends the evening before Easter, the central feast of the liturgical year, celebrating the Resurrection of Christ and his victory over the powers of evil and death.

Le dimanche prochain est le dimanche des rameaux et le début de la Semaine sainte, qui commémore la Passion (souffrances) du Christ. Celle-ci se termine la veille de Pâques, fête principale de l’année liturgique : la célébration de la Résurrection du Christ et de sa victoire sur les pouvoirs du mal et de la mort.

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER

at the Dominicain Church, 41 blvd de la Victoire, unless otherwise indicated

Those wishing to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) in preparation for Easter may contact the clergy through the Chaplaincy Office (03 69 57 40 03) to arrange a time to meet.

Ceux qui souhaitent célébrer le Sacrement de la Réconciliation (Confession) en préparation de Pâques peuvent contacter le clergé par l’intermédiaire de l’Aumônerie (03 69 57 40 03) pour prendre rendez-vous.

Palm Sunday, March 25th

10h30 Palm Sunday Liturgy and Holy Eucharist

15h00 Liturgie des rameaux et Sainte Eucharistie (chez les Pères Oblats, 21 route de la Wantzenau, 67000 Strasbourg)

Monday in Holy Week, March 26th

Holy Eucharist and pause for reflection

chez Victoria and Kevin Sérenque

35, rue des Malteries, 67300 Schiltigheim at 19h00

Tuesday in Holy Week, March 27th

Sainte Eucharistie et moment de reflection

chez Jeanne et Richard Razafindratsima

19, rue Vauban, 67000 Strasbourg at 18h30

Wednesday in Holy Week, March 28th

Holy Eucharist and pause for reflection

chez Eila Walker, 21 rue Auguste Himly, 67000 Strasbourg at 19h00

Maundy Thursday / Jeudi Saint, March 29th

Liturgy and Holy Communion

Chapelle Protestante de l’Hôpital Civil at 19h00

Good Friday / Vendredi Saint, March 30th

13h00 – 14h30 Liturgy

15h00 Chemin de la Croix avec la communauté dominicaine

 

Easter Day / Jour de Pâques, 1er avril

Holy Eucharist / Sainte Eucharistie 10h45

Lunch at 12 avenue de la Forêt-Noire

Soirée Recreative Malgache le 17 mars

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On 5 January a cyclone  hit the east coast of Madagascar, causing extensive damage in many places, especially in the settlement of Foulpointe which had already been devastated by a hurricane and fire the year before. Our church with its charitable associations  ACAS and ACAMA is involved in supporting  the Anglican community in Foulpointe so that the church building may be reconstructed, and homes built for the many church members who have literally lost the roofs over their heads.  Foulpointe is the site where Anglican missionaries first set foot in Madagascar in 1863.
Worship Leader Voahangy Ramananjatovo writes:
“Nous sommes rentrés (de Madagascar) avec beaucoup de peine en laissant la famille et les malagasy là bas. Mais encouragés,  car ils vivent avec beaucoup de difficultés: pollution manque d’hygiène, d’eau, malnourris, pauvreté extrême… et nous ici avons la chance de pouvoir partager, de prier pour que les malagasy vivent avec décence.”
On 17 March at 16.00h ACAMA, the charitable association of the Malgache Anglicans, is organising a Soirée Recreative at the Salle de Fêtes of the Muensterhof, 9 rue des Juifs, Strasbourg.  All are invited to come and enjoy the company, music and good food of our Malgache church members and to give generously to support the community in Foulpointe.

Last year St. Alban’s charitable organisation, ACAS, was able to donate €500 to enable rebuilding of the Anglican church at Foulpointe to continue.  These recent photos show what progress has been made – and how much still needs to be done.

 

 

 

Tuesday Bible Study of the Gospel of Mark

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We are meeting on the Tuesdays of Lent for an exploration of the essential meaning and purpose of Mark’s Gospel.  Join us this Tuesday 6 March,19h00 – 20h30, at the chaplaincy flat, 12 avenue de la Forêt Noire (nearest tram stop Gallia, trams C, E, F, nearest bus stop Brant Université, bus n°. 10, 15a, 30, 72).
. ‘A Gospel of silences, of misunderstandings, of indirect and teasing communication,’ writes Rowan Williams in his book “Meeting God in Mark”, ‘but this is not for the sake of making things difficult in an arbitrary or unkind way. It is to remind us that if it’s the true God who is speaking and being spoken about in this book, this God… is at the ground of everything.’
Please join us for this fascinating study. We will finish by saying Compline together.

Early Call Prayer Breakfast starts again

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 Sunday 25 February: Restart of Early Call Prayer Breakfast.
We begin at 8h45 chez les Cowley, 5 rue de Londres (Esplanade, trams C, E or F; bus L1) with coffee and croissants. Breakfast is followed by a Bible reflection and informal and silent prayers for the people and work of St Alban’s and the world. We finish in time to arrive early for the Sunday Eucharist. Praying together is a vital part of the life and mission of our church. Come join us.

En chemin vers la communion : à la découverte de l’anglicanisme

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A study weekend at the Abbaye Notre Dame des Dombes, 01330 Le Plantay, from 9 to 11 March 2018, with a number of illustrious speakers, including Ephraim Radner and  Annette Brownlee, Episcopalian theologians  and professors at  Wycliffe College in Toronto, who recently spent a sabbatical year at the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg, and joined St. Alban’s in worship.

For more details: https://www.france-catholique.fr/En-chemin-vers-la-communion-a-la-decouverte-de-l-anglicanisme.html

Autour de la Table – Around the Table

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Un temps de rencontre et de partage entre nos paroisses de voisinage
Dernier Appel!! Des groupes se forment avec la participation des différentes paroisses pour se retrouver autour d’une table (apéro, déjeuner, goûter …) afin de faire connaissance et d’avoir une occasion de partager la façon dont chacun(e) vit sa foi dans sa tradition d’église.  Ça vous intéresse? Contactez Mark pour plus d’information.  Groups are presently being formed, drawn from different neighbourhood churches, that would meet from time to time for a drink, a meal etc. to get to know one another and to share how we each live out our faith in our various church traditions.  Interested?  Contact Mark for more details.
Flyer: Autour de la Table0001

 

Lent: Tuesday Bible Study of the Gospel of Mark.

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Lent is a season of prayer, penitence and conversion in the life of the Church. Let us pray for one another, as we prepare for the Easter Feast.
Le Carême est une saison de prière, de pénitence et de conversion dans la vie de l’Église. Prions les uns pour les autres, alors que nous nous préparons pour la fête de Pâques.
Lent is an important season for the deepening of our faith.  Beginning on Tuesday 20th February Fr. Mark and others will lead us through an exploration of the essential meaning and purpose of Mark’s Gospel. We will meet for five consecutive Tuesdays 19.00 –  20.30h at the new Chaplaincy flat, 12 ave. de la Forêt Noire (nearest tram stop Gallia, trams C, E, F, nearest bus stop Brant Université, bus n°. 10, 15a, 30, 72), ending with Compline.  Rowan Williams’ book, Meeting God in Mark, will be our guide.